Effects of the Healthcare Reform in Alaska

Alaska Health Insurance Reform will help 120,000 residents who do not have insurance to get affordable medical insurance coverage. Making medical insurance premiums more affordable through a small business tax credit will help 8,600 small businesses. Medicare Part D drug cost will be halved for 10,600 seniors as a result of the Healthcare Reform in Alaska. Free preventive healthcare services will be provided to 59,400 seniors and 52,600 residents will be helped with the purchase of health insurance coverage because they will be able to qualify for premium tax credits.

The two conditions used by health insurance companies not to provide coverage for 7 percent of people that have diabetes and 25 percent of people who have high blood pressure will no longer be a concern because the Healthcare Reform in Alaska is meant to establish a high risk pool to enable people to find an affordable plan. Preventive services such as colorectal cancer screening and mammograms could be ensured for free through the new health plans. This will also encourage wellness programs and prevention. Early retirees will benefit from reinsurance programs. The Alaska Health Insurance Reform will help such families save up to $1,200 on premiums.

The Alaska Health Insurance Reform will help reduce the costs of excessive Medicare payments. Another benefit for seniors will be the 50 percent discount for brand name drugs. This will benefit roughly 10,600 Medicare beneficiaries in Alaska. Preventive services for seniors will be free under the Healthcare Reform in Alaska. The other wellness visits to providers will also be covered by the Alaska Health Insurance Reform plan. Small businesses from Alaska could be helped by a small business tax credit proposal that in the long run will make premiums more affordable. The rising health costs will no longer put pressure on state budgets. The Alaska Health Insurance Reform will help more uninsured people to gain coverage and the state of Alaska will not have to spend on uncompensated care.

The Healthcare Reform in Alaska will improve and expand health care programs across the state, where 83,000 people cannot currently access primary care providers due to a shortage in their communities. Rural and underserved areas will have more health care providers such as dentists, doctors, nurses and primary care providers. The doctors could qualify for a new 5 to 10 percent payment bonus after the Alaska Health Insurance Reform. Every physician in Alaska has to spend about 140 hours and $68,000 dealing with health insurance paperwork. Alaska Health Insurance Reform will help reduce this time by computerizing the medical records and standardizing and simplifying paperwork. This will help physicians spend more time with their patients thus increasing the quality of medical services.

In the long run, the reform will provide security, stability and choice. The hidden premium "tax" paid by families will be eliminated because the coverage will be expanded to a whole new range of uninsured people. 52,600 residents could benefit from premium credits with the coverage of health insurance reform. Without this reform families and individuals in Alaska will have to pay increasing amounts of money to cover co-payments, deductibles and premiums. The Healthcare Reform in Alaska aims to give people an affordable choice even when they are faced with unemployment or job changing. The future of health care in Alaska is looking up.